An visit with an old friend
by Georgethecat
Summary: Alfred visits Jason in Blackgate Penitentiary. Post- Batman and Robin 6 continuity. Just a little chat, but is something I'm anxiously hoping we'll actually see in comics. Rated K for Jason's potty mouth.


Alfred Pennyworth wrung his hands. The sky was dark and the air was warm, yet there was a chill that snuck up his spine as he stepped out of a black Rolls Royce. Holding a small green package in his hands, he shut the door to the vehicle and looked wearily at the building before him: Blackgate Penitentary. Unlike Arkham Asylum, it did not house the mentally ill, but it did hold some of Gotham's gang leaders and mafia members.

The box building surrounded by massive gates also housed one very important individual and that was whom Alfred was here today to see. Ordinarily, he would not have taken these kinds of measures without serious predilection. He had a fake identification to give to the guards upon their request when he entered the building. With Master Bruce currently "deceased," (although Tim and Dick had discovred Bruce Wayne was not in fact, deceased, but somewhere, someplace, lost in time) Alfred knew the risks would be …less.

This place, this prison, was not a place he would have dreamed of setting foot in in a million years and certainly not for any of his boys. This particular boy Alfred had not seen face to face since his return – what Alfred had called a "dark miracle" or a curse, whichever way one might look at it, and the old man's heart was practically in his throat. Did the boy hate him as he seemed to despise Master Bruce? He pondered this as he gingerly handed over the green package to a guard.

"Just a package of cookies, sir, nothing more than homemade chocolate chip cookies," Alfred said with a nod to the guard. "You may duly inspect them, however, I can assure you now, the secret ingredient in them is an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract."

The guard barely looked at Alfred as he opened the box and ran it through a metal detector. "We don't really allow this kind of crap in here, Mr. uh, Christopher Marlowe, is it? Yeah. Who you here to visit, old man? What was it you said, a grandson?"

Alfred paused for a moment before replying. "Yes, indeed. A grandson, he is booked under the name John Doe. As for the package of desserts, I should let you know I am acquainted with Bruce Wayne. I believe the guards have been asking for uniform upgrades. If you allow me this small favour to bring in these treats, I would surely put in a good word for you."

The guard finally looked Alfred in the eye and handed over the box. "Don't tell anyone. Go down the hallway, the visiting area is to the right."

Alfred took the package and nodded a word of thanks to the guard before heading down what might have been the longest stretch of hallway he had ever gone down in his life. He did not hurry his steps, but rather kept a steady pace, praying that when he walked into the visitation room, the boy would be there.

Boy. He couldn't help but call him that. He is a man now, no longer a boy, yet all Alfred had ever known of him was a rebellious boy full of spunk and potential. He was arrogant, brash and incredibly bright, so different than his predecessor, Dick Grayson. Alfred had mourned the boy for so long alongside Bruce when he was killed by the Joker. In fact, it was he would had to hold in his own grief for the boy as he erected a glass case memorial for him and took pains to ease Bruce's grief. Bruce had deeply mourned Jason as any father would mourn the loss of his child taken too soon from this earth. Jason was not just Robin, a good soldier, an ally, a friend and a companion to Bruce. He was his son, adopted shortly after Bruce brought him home, having found him boosting the tires off the Batmobile in Crime Alley all those years ago.

Alfred had stared at the pictures of Jason in Bruce's photo albums – having locked them away from Bruce's sight for some time, in fact – and at the pictures of young Jason on the Batcomputer, but nothing prepared him for what he saw as he rounded the corner and sat down at the visitor booth. The young man had a look of shock on his face that Alfred wished he simply could have taken a picture of that and framed it. He nearly chuckled aloud at the idea.

Jason picked up the phone once Alfred sat down. "…Alfie?"

Now, Alfred chuckled. "I hope you take little offense to this, Master Jason, but to be perfectly honest, that was not what I was expecting at all."

Jason was silent for a moment. On the one hand, Alfred wanted nothing more than to bring the young man home. He was clearly troubled and in need of help, support and love. On the other hand, he had murdered – criminals, yes, but still had taken lives – under the guise of the Red Hood and Alfred had considered if he helped Jason escape, he would not only be aiding and abetting him, he would be enabling him as well.

"…Wasn't really expecting visitors, so colour me shocked, too," Jason shrugged and didn't offer anything more.

Alfred parsed his lips and held up the green package. "With a little bribery, I was able to smuggle this inside. It's nothing more than a dessert, something I think you used to eat after finishing your homework." He opened the box to reveal the chocolate chip cookies. Jason's eyes widened and he snorted.

"Smuggle any milk in your coat pocket there, too?"

"I'm afraid not, Master Jason." Alfred slid the package through a slot. Jason took the package, opened it up, looked inside once more and closed it. He looked back up at Alfred with a raised eyebrow, as if waiting for the inevitable. Alfred decided not to disappoint.

"I shall not take up much more of your time, Master Jason. I have come here on a mission. There is evidence that perhaps Master Bruce is not deceased, but rather … in a predicament I can't reveal much more details on as I myself have very little information to go on. Please hear me out, young sir. I would like nothing more for his family to be whole again upon his return. You certainly do not have to accept my offer, but I am willing to ensure that you get the best help money can afford. I am to understand you were placed in the Lazarus Pits and I am aware that while it causes damage, that damage is not irreparable. I will do everything I can to help you, if you will only let me." Alfred held his breath as he saw Jason narrow his eyes.

"So you want me to 'renounce my _evil_ ways?'"

"That is not what I am suggesting at all, young sir. Rather, I want to offer you my support and in doing so, I will not judge you. Your renouncement of this family has not only pained your father, but it also pains Masters Dick and Tim … as well as myself, Jason."

Jason pushed his chair back and stood up. "As long as He and I are at odds over doing what's right for this city – and I am trying to do what's right, Alfie, I'm making this city safer so that kids don't have to fear walking down the street, or have to run away from drug pushers or nurse their drug-addict mother to health only to have her die on them - Fuck it. It's not going to happen." He slammed the receiver down and picked up the package. He stood for a moment and then picked up the receiver again. "Thanks for the cookies."

As Alfred sat, head down, Jason motioned to the guard and left the room.

Alfred left the way he came and got back into the black Rolls Royce he had arrived in.

He took the long way back to Wayne Manor, going through Gotham's gritty East Side. The front tire suddenly blew as he neared a corner where a group of about five sex workers stood. Alfred got out to change the tire and one young woman strolled over to him. She propositioned him first, but Alfred politely declined. He told her if she would kindly hold his tools while he changed the tire, he would give her $1,000. She accepted after dubbing him a 'weird old bird.'

"You young ladies have been taking care of yourselves, I presume?" Alfred asked her as he tightened the lug nuts on the replacement tire.

The girl sighed. "Yeah, it's gotten way rough out here, yannow? Worse than ever, it seems. I dunno, a bunch of us girls're thinkin' it might be that Zsasz guy or somethin', but we're bein' real cautious and alla that. Makin' sure t' watch each others' backs and we gotta coupla safe houses now. This guy, the Red Hood set those safe houses up fer us, but I dunno where he's at. We'd been negotiatin' a deal with 'im, it's a bigger cut than us girls wanted t' shell out, but he'd helped us set up a website and everythin' to get the word out on the victims. Dunno why I'm tellin' ya alla this, but it's been awhile since he's been around here. It was a lot safer with him around, that's fer sure, now that he's gone, things're worse than ever."

Alfred nodded solemnly to her, gave her the money and a card to call if she ever needed anything. She waved good-bye and went back to her group as he drove back to the mansion in a state of unease. He resolved to visit Jason again, however long it took, perhaps one day the family might be whole again.


End file.
